A temperature control device controls power supplied to a heater based on a temperature estimate value estimated over time so that a temperature control target to which heat propagates from the heater of the fixing unit reaches a preset target temperature. The temperature control device includes a temperature sensor, first and second storage circuits, a temperature difference detection circuit, and a target temperature correction circuit. The temperature sensor detects a temperature of the heater. The first storage circuit stores the temperature estimate value. The second storage circuit stores a sensor temperature. The temperature difference detection circuit calculates an actual temperature rise amount from a temperature difference between the temperature estimate value and the temperature of the heater from the respective storage circuits. The temperature correction circuit performs control such that a target temperature is lowered in accordance with the actual temperature rise amount.
A temperature control device controls power supplied to a heater based on a temperature estimate value estimated over time so that a temperature control target to which heat propagates from the heater of the fixing unit reaches a preset target temperature. The temperature control device includes a temperature sensor, first and second storage circuits, a temperature difference detection circuit, and a target temperature correction circuit. The temperature sensor detects a temperature of the heater. The first storage circuit stores the temperature estimate value. The second storage circuit stores a sensor temperature. The temperature difference detection circuit calculates an actual temperature rise amount from a temperature difference between the temperature estimate value and the temperature of the heater from the respective storage circuits. The temperature correction circuit performs control such that a target temperature is lowered in accordance with the actual temperature rise amount.
According to one embodiment, a printing apparatus includes a shaft on which an ink ribbon roll with a wireless tag can be mounted. The ink ribbon roll rotates about the shaft. An antenna for communication with the wireless tag is on an outer peripheral surface of the shaft. A wiring is on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft and connects to the antenna. A protective sleeve is provided to be between the shaft and the mounted ink ribbon roll. The protective sleeve covers an end portion of the shaft and the wiring at the end portion. A bearing is outside the protective sleeve. The bearing is rotatable about the protective sleeve. A printing unit is configured to perform printing on a medium to be printed with ink ribbon drawn out of the ink ribbon roll.
B41J 3/407 - Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed for marking on special material
B41J 2/325 - Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material using thermal heads by selective transfer of ink from ink carrier, e.g. from ink ribbon or sheet
4.
INFORMATION PROCESSING SYSTEM, INFORMATION PROCESSING DEVICE, AND INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD
According to one embodiment, an information processing system includes a network, a workflow creation server accessible to a plurality of user terminals via the network, and a user setting server storing user settings for users of the user terminals. The workflow creation server creates a workflow plan in response to an operation of a workflow creator at a creator terminal. The workflow plan includes a step or process involving accessing a cloud service using a first cloud service account. The user setting terminal registers a second cloud service account for accessing the cloud service in response to an instruction from a user at a user terminal. The second cloud service account is associated with the user. When the workflow plan is executed by the user via the network, the second cloud service account is used for accessing the cloud service instead of the first cloud service account.
According to one embodiment, a commodity sales data processing apparatus includes a communication interface, a storage unit, and a control unit. The control unit receives a commodity code of an item being registered for purchase, extracts commodity information associated with the commodity code, registers the commodity code and the extracted commodity information in a transaction file, and causes commodity information related to the item to be displayed on a commodity registration screen. When the control unit receives a cancelation request for removing an item from the sales transaction, it outputs a cancelation notification to a clerk terminal and then indicates a deletion of the item from the transaction file after receiving a clerk confirmation. The control unit is configured to continue to receive commodity codes of other items being registered in the sales transaction after the cancelation notification has been output but before receiving of the clerk confirmation.
According to one embodiment, an information processing system includes a first storage unit that stores user information for each notification destination user and a creation unit that creates a workflow plan including a notification destination user to be used for notifications required in the workflow plan. The workflow plan is executable by a system user without requiring the user to provide user information. A second storage unit stores the workflow plan created by the creation unit. An execution unit is provided such that, when execution of the workflow plan stored in the second storage unit begins, user information of the notification destination user set in the workflow plan as the notification destination is acquired from the first storage unit and a notification to the notification destination user is sent in accordance with the acquired user information and the workflow plan.
According to one embodiment, an information processing system includes a receiving unit, an OCR execution unit, a management unit, an extraction unit, a correction candidate output unit, an accuracy information output unit, and a correction acceptance unit. The receiving unit receives image information. The OCR execution unit performs character recognition on the image information using OCR. The management unit stores definition data that defines a workflow based on the image information. The extraction unit extracts a usage item handled in the workflow from the definition data. The correction candidate output unit extracts a value corresponding to the usage item from a recognition result obtained by the OCR execution unit and outputs the value as a correction candidate. The accuracy information output unit outputs information based on accuracy when the OCR execution unit recognizes the correction candidate. The correction acceptance unit accepts a correction for the correction candidate.
G06V 10/94 - Hardware or software architectures specially adapted for image or video understanding
G06V 10/96 - Management of image or video recognition tasks
G06V 10/98 - Detection or correction of errors, e.g. by rescanning the pattern or by human interventionEvaluation of the quality of the acquired patterns
G06V 30/262 - Techniques for post-processing, e.g. correcting the recognition result using context analysis, e.g. lexical, syntactic or semantic context
8.
INFORMATION PROCESSING SYSTEM AND CONTROL METHOD FOR INFORMATION PROCESSING SYSTEM
According to one embodiment, an information processing system includes a receiving unit, an OCR execution unit, a management unit, an extraction unit, a correction candidate output unit, and a correction acceptance unit. The receiving unit receives image information. The OCR execution unit performs character recognition on the image information using OCR. The management unit stores definition data that defines a workflow based on the image information. The extraction unit extracts a usage item handled in the workflow from the definition data. The correction candidate output unit extracts a value corresponding to the usage item from a recognition result obtained by the OCR execution unit and outputs the value as a correction candidate. The correction acceptance unit accepts a correction for the correction candidate.
According to one embodiment, a printer includes: a printing unit configured to print on a medium (such as a sheet); an optical sensor configured to receive reflected light from the medium irradiated with a predetermined light before printing; and a concentration setting unit configured to set a print concentration of a group corresponding to a type of the medium on the basis of an output value which is output by the optical sensor receiving the reflected light.
According to an embodiment, a printer apparatus controls a tag reader or a wireless communication module that receives information from a wireless tag located nearby to acquire a search result based on search information for each node of a communication path of a mesh network from its own node toward a terminal node. The printer apparatus controls a printing device to print the search result for each node of the communication path of the mesh network from its own node toward the terminal node.
According to an embodiment, a power supply management circuit of a printer includes a first switch, a second switch, a logic circuit, a power supply management integrated circuit, and a control circuit. When the first switch is switched, the logic circuit closes the second switch, and the power supply management integrated circuit starts sequence control of power supply startup in accordance with the closing. Further, when the first switch is long-pressed, the power supply management integrated circuit starts sequence control of power supply shutdown, and the control circuit causes the logic circuit to output a control signal to open the second switch.
H04N 1/00 - Scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmissionDetails thereof
H03K 17/296 - Modifications to provide a choice of time-intervals for executing more than one switching action and automatically terminating their operation after the programme is completed
According to an embodiment, a machine operating state monitoring system measures a current flowing through a signal light attached to a machine to be monitored. The machine operating state monitoring system determines an operating state of the signal light on the basis of a measurement result of the current. The machine operating state monitoring system stores in advance a relationship between the operating state of the signal light and the operating state of the machine to be monitored. Furthermore, the machine operating state monitoring system determines an operating state of a machine to be monitored corresponding to the determined operating state of the signal light on the basis of the stored relationship.
According to embodiments, an attendant terminal computer is configured to monitor a plurality of transaction processing apparatuses, the attendant terminal computer comprising: a display panel; a communication circuit configured to communicate with the plurality of transaction processing apparatuses; and a processing circuit configured to execute a program stored in memory of the attendant terminal computer to perform steps for managing the display panel, wherein the steps include: determining group identifiers associated with groups to which the plurality of transaction processing apparatuses are assigned; determining, based on the determined group identifiers, visual features for displaying monitoring information received via the communication circuit from the plurality of transaction processing apparatuses; and updating, for each of the groups, the display panel to display the monitoring information for one or more of the plurality of transaction processing apparatuses assigned to the group, in a manner that includes a determined visual feature of the group.
H04L 41/22 - Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
According to one embodiment, a retail transaction processing system includes a point-of-sale terminal and a detection apparatus. The detection apparatus receives images from a camera positioned to image operations at the point-of-sale terminal and a transaction start/end indication from the point-of-sale terminal when a user begins and ends a transaction checkout operation. Upon receiving the transaction start indication, the detection apparatus begins detecting items in the received image and creates a detected item list. Upon receiving the checkout operation end indication, the detection apparatus stops detecting items in the received images and receives a registered item list from the point-of-sale terminal. The detection apparatus then compares the detected item list to the registered item list and outputs a notification when an item on the detected item list has no corresponding item on the registered item list.
A printer apparatus includes: a printing portion configured to perform printing while pulling out and conveying strip-shaped paper from roll paper wounded the paper with a first surface facing outward; a cutting portion provided downstream of the printing portion in a paper conveying direction to cut the paper; a support portion provided downstream of the cutting portion in the paper conveying direction to come into contact with a second surface that is a back surface of the first surface to support the paper, the support portion having a pair of recesses located apart from each other in a paper width direction and a protrusion located between the pair of recesses; and a holding portion provided downstream of the cutting portion in the paper conveying direction at a position where the holding portion faces the pair of recesses and presses the first surface of the paper supported by the support portion.
B41J 13/10 - Sheet holders, retainers, or stationary guides
B41J 3/407 - Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed for marking on special material
B41J 11/00 - Devices or arrangements for supporting or handling copy material in sheet or web form
B41J 11/70 - Applications of cutting devices cutting perpendicular to the direction of paper feed
According to one embodiment, an electronic receipt server includes a communication interface, a storage device, and a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to receive advertisement setting information from a setter terminal via the communication interface, store the advertisement setting information in the storage device, store electronic receipt information in the storage device, and receive a request for an electronic receipt from a user terminal via the communication interface. The processing circuit identifies a company code associated with the requested electronic receipt, then acquires the advertisement setting information associated with the company code in the storage device and determines whether the advertisement setting information indicates company-specific advertisements are enabled for the company code. The processing circuit then acquires a company-specific advertisement when the advertisement information indicates company-specific advertisements are enabled for the company code and outputs the acquired company-specific advertisement with the electronic receipt to the user terminal.
A printer that makes it less likely for cut and discharged paper to fall by a structure that can be formed by a wear-resistant component. The printer includes: a printing portion configured to perform printing while pulling out and conveying strip-shaped paper; a cutting portion configured to cut the paper; a support portion provided downstream of the cutting portion in the paper conveying direction and configured to come into contact with a second surface that is a back surface of the first surface to support the paper, the support portion being inclined such that a leading end portion of the paper, which moves along with conveyance, is displaced in a direction from the second surface toward the first surface; and a holding portion provided downstream of the cutting portion in the paper conveying direction and configured to press the first surface of the paper supported by the support portion.
B41J 13/10 - Sheet holders, retainers, or stationary guides
B41J 3/407 - Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed for marking on special material
B41J 11/70 - Applications of cutting devices cutting perpendicular to the direction of paper feed
According to one embodiment, a printer apparatus includes: a printing portion configured to perform printing while pulling out and conveying strip-shaped paper from roll paper wounded the paper with a first surface facing outward; a cutting portion provided downstream of the printing portion in a paper conveying direction and configured to cut the paper; a support portion provided downstream of the cutting portion in the paper conveying direction and configured to come into contact with a second surface that is a back surface of the first surface to support the paper, the support portion having a pair of protrusions located apart from each other in a paper width direction; and a holding portion provided downstream of the cutting portion in the paper conveying direction and configured to press the first surface of the paper supported by the support portion between the pair of protrusions.
In accordance with an embodiment, an image forming apparatus performs, in a case where recognition processing for a target wireless tag has failed, at least one of stepwisely decreasing a reception threshold of radio signal strength to be returned from the target wireless tag or stepwisely increasing radio signal strength to be transmitted to the target wireless tag and reads data prestored by the wireless tag communication apparatus. The image forming apparatus performs re-recognition processing for recognizing the target wireless tag on the basis of the read data. The image forming apparatus notifies a user that the medium having the target wireless tag recognized in the re-recognition processing is a re-recognized medium whose target wireless tag has been recognized in the re-recognition processing.
H04N 1/00 - Scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmissionDetails thereof
G03G 15/00 - Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
G03G 15/01 - Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for producing multicoloured copies
G03G 15/22 - Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern involving the combination of more than one step according to groups
G03G 21/16 - Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements
G06K 7/10 - Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensingMethods or arrangements for sensing record carriers by corpuscular radiation
H04N 1/32 - Circuits or arrangements for control or supervision between transmitter and receiver
21.
RECEIPT SERVER, INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, METHOD OF CONTROLLING RECEIPT SERVER, AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS
A graphical user interface (GUI) includes a user interface for managing delivery of sales promotional information with electronic receipts. The user interface includes a first section for specifying sales promotions, a second section for specifying details about the sales promotions, a third section for specifying target locations for the sales promotions, a fourth section for specifying companies whose sales promotions are to be excluded, and a fifth section for specifying a display channel for the sales promotions. A control device stores information about the sales promotions that were specified through the GUI, stores receipt data of a receipt related to a transaction of a commodity purchased by the customer, transmits in response to a request from an information processing apparatus of the customer, the receipt data and the sales promotions based on the information about the sales promotions that have been specified through the GUI to the information processing apparatus.
According to one embodiment, a management device for a retail transaction processing system has a first connection interface for connecting to a merchandise registration unit, a second connection interface for connecting to a first checkout unit, a third connection interface for connecting to a second checkout unit, a processor. The processor is configured to control the merchandise registration unit via the first connection interface to perform a merchandise registration process of a sales transaction, select between the first checkout unit and the second checkout out unit for a settlement process of the sales transaction, and then control the selected one of the first and second checkout units to perform the settlement process for the sales transaction. Control of the first or second checkout units may be provided in some examples by a virtual checkout machine or the like established by the management device.
A computer system is configured to remotely manage technical support for a plurality of computer peripherals, by performing the steps of: monitoring network connections between the computer system and the plurality of computer peripherals to collect usage information and error information; and in response to detecting that a first error occurred in a computer peripheral of the plurality of computer peripherals: storing, in an entry of a database, error information describing an occurrence of the first error; generating a first support code and storing the first support code in the entry of the database in association with the error information; transmitting the first support code to the computer peripheral to be displayed thereby; reading the error information from the entry of the database in response to receiving the first support code from a user device; and displaying the error information on a user interface (UI) of a customer support technician.
According to one embodiment, a surveillance apparatus has a processor, a communication interface, a storage unit, and an output interface connected to an output unit in a checkout waiting area. The processor identifies whether customers are waiting in different lines in the checkout waiting area based on an image of the checkout waiting area, then identifies whether any of a plurality of checkout terminals in a checkout area are available. When a checkout terminal is identified as available, the processor selects one of the different lines when a settlement type available at the checkout terminal corresponds to at least one of the lines at which a customer is waiting. Guidance information is then output to indicate that a customer in the selected line should proceed to the available checkout terminal.
According to one embodiment, the commodity sales data processing device provides a registration unit, a price calculation unit, a reception unit, a first application unit, and a second application unit. The registration unit registers items being purchased in a sales transaction. The price calculation unit calculates a transaction price to be paid for the registered items. The reception unit receives information of coupons to be used in the sales transaction. When a received coupon is a first-type coupon, the first application unit applies a coupon benefit associated with the first-type coupon to a registered item. When the received coupon is a second-type coupon, the second application unit applies a coupon benefit associated the second-type coupon to the transaction price after a preliminary transaction price is calculated. The preliminary price reflects coupon benefits associated with any applied first-type coupons.
According to one embodiment, a cart-type terminal includes an operator terminal for registration of merchandise, a battery that supplies electric power to the operator terminal, a charging board configured to charge the battery from an external power source connected to a first coupling terminal, and a control unit. The control unit is configured to switch an operating mode of the cart-type terminal apparatus from a normal mode to a power saving mode when the cart-type terminal apparatus is determined to be within a charging area.
G06K 7/14 - Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensingMethods or arrangements for sensing record carriers by corpuscular radiation using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light
B60R 16/033 - Electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided forArrangement of elements of electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided for electric for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems characterised by the use of electrical cells or batteries
B62B 3/14 - Hand carts having more than one axis carrying transport wheelsSteering devices thereforEquipment therefor characterised by provisions for nesting or stacking, e.g. shopping trolleys
B62B 5/00 - Accessories or details specially adapted for hand carts
A image forming apparatus is configured to manage parallel printing of a print job, by performing the steps of: retrieving a request to print the print job; determining a network availability of one or more other image forming apparatuses connected to a network; generating a workplan for distributing the print job across a plurality of image forming apparatuses based on (1) print job information, including one or more of: the number of pages, the storage size, and a speed requirement assigned to the print job, and (2) image forming apparatus information, including one or more of: respective loads on, print speeds of, specific capabilities of, and failure rates of the plurality of image forming apparatuses; dividing, according to the workplan, the print job into a plurality of constituent print jobs; and transmitting one of the plurality of constituent print jobs to one of the plurality of image forming apparatuses.
In accordance with an embodiment, a wireless tag communication apparatus according to the embodiment receives radio waves transmitted from a wireless tag by an antenna. The wireless tag communication apparatus changes a relative position of the antenna with respect to the wireless tag. The wireless tag communication apparatus reads tag data of the wireless tag at a plurality of relative positions of the antenna with respect to the wireless tag on the basis of the received radio waves and infers an arrangement region of the wireless tag from the tag data. The wireless tag communication apparatus sets a change speed of the relative position of the antenna with respect to the wireless tag.
G06K 7/10 - Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensingMethods or arrangements for sensing record carriers by corpuscular radiation
29.
WIRELESS TAG COMMUNICATION APPARATUS AND WIRELESS TAG COMMUNICATION METHOD
According to an embodiment, a wireless tag communication apparatus checks an identification code of a wireless tag read by a reading device against a box list that is a list of identification codes of wireless tags attached to shipping boxes to identify a shipping box to which the wireless tag read by the reading device is attached. Further, the wireless tag communication apparatus creates a shipping list that is a list of the identification code of the wireless tag attached to the identified shipping box and identification codes of wireless tags attached to articles put in the shipping box.
G06K 7/10 - Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensingMethods or arrangements for sensing record carriers by corpuscular radiation
30.
WIRELESS TAG COMMUNICATION APPARATUS AND WIRELESS TAG COMMUNICATION METHOD
According to an embodiment, a wireless tag communication apparatus reads, on the basis of a radio wave received by an antenna, tag data of a wireless tag including an identification code of an article. The wireless tag communication apparatus performs, on the basis of a scheduled list that is a list of identification codes of articles to be disposed in a disposed region and a read list that is a list of read identification codes of articles, warning processing indicating a possibility that an article disposed in the disposed region is different from any of the articles corresponding to the identification codes in the scheduled list.
G06K 7/10 - Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensingMethods or arrangements for sensing record carriers by corpuscular radiation
G01S 5/02 - Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more direction or position-line determinationsPosition-fixing by co-ordinating two or more distance determinations using radio waves
G06K 19/07 - Record carriers with conductive marks, printed circuits or semiconductor circuit elements, e.g. credit or identity cards with integrated circuit chips
31.
WEIGHING SYSTEM, WEIGHING DEVICE, AND WEIGHING METHOD
According to one embodiment, a transaction processing system for weighed commodities includes a server device and a weighing device. The weighing device has a communication unit connected to the server device and a weighing unit to detect a change in weight of items in a container on the weighing unit. When the weighing unit detects a reduction in the weight of items in the container, the weighing device transmits a weight change notice to the server device via the communication unit. The weight change notice includes a weight change value corresponding to the reduction in weight and a weighing device code identifying the weighing unit. Upon receiving the weight change notice, the server device calculates a registered item price according to the weight change value and an item unit weight associated with the weighing device code in the server device.
G01G 19/414 - Weighing apparatus or methods adapted for special purposes not provided for in groups with provisions for indicating, recording, or computing price or other quantities dependent on the weight using electromechanical or electronic computing means using electronic computing means only
G01G 19/415 - Weighing apparatus or methods adapted for special purposes not provided for in groups with provisions for indicating, recording, or computing price or other quantities dependent on the weight using electromechanical or electronic computing means using electronic computing means only combined with recording means
According to an embodiment, an information processing apparatus stores, for each workflow that defines an assignment order of tasks to be executed in sequence by a plurality of operators, a task history in which a type of the task executed by each of the operators and a date and time at which the task has been executed are associated with each other. The information processing apparatus calculates an average time for each type of the task from a time when an order is assigned to the operator to a time when the operator executes the task, on the basis of the stored task history. Further, the information processing apparatus sends a notification to an operator who has not performed the task at a timing based on the average time corresponding to the type of the task.
A monitoring apparatus includes a camera interface, a terminal interface, a communication interface, and a processor. The processor is configured to recognize actions of a settler at a point-of-sale terminal based on images from a camera, recognize input operations performed at the point-of-sale terminal by the settler based on information from the point-of-sale terminal and detect fraudulent acts based on a recognized action and a recognized input operation at the point-of-sale terminal. The processor outputs a fraud detection image corresponding to a detected fraudulent act to at least one of the point-of-sale terminal and an attendant terminal.
G06Q 20/40 - Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentialsReview and approval of payers, e.g. check of credit lines or negative lists
A store monitoring system includes a tag reader disposed in or near a shelf on which items with wireless tags are displayed, a point-of-sale terminal configured to acquire tag information from wireless tags attached to items and perform checkout processing on the items using the acquired tag information, and a store monitoring apparatus configured to acquire tag information from the tag reader, upon determining that first tag information previously received by the tag reader at a particular time has not been received by the tag reader for a predetermined time period since the particular time, store the first tag information in a memory, acquire tag information from the POS terminal, and upon determining that the first tag information is not in the tag information acquired by the tag reader within the predetermined time period, output an alert indicating an item associated with the first tag information.
According to one embodiment, a monitoring system includes an exit gate and a sales data processing device that does checkout processing for merchandise items in a sales transaction and generates a transaction receipt that can be read at the exit gate. A processor acquires an identifier from the transaction receipt at the exit gate, receives an image of a lower tier of a shopping cart at the exit gate and identifies whether an object is on the lower tier. The processor determines whether a merchandise item corresponding to the object on the lower tier was registered in the sales transaction associated with the acquired identifier and opens the exit gate when the object on the lower tier corresponds to a merchandise item included in the sales transaction but otherwise keeps the exit gate closed when the object is identified as being on the lower tier.
An information processing apparatus includes a processor configured to receive a first electronic file, and acquire metadata of a second electronic file. The second electronic file being the same as the first electronic file or being a file generated based on the first electronic file. processor is also configured to transmit the second electronic file and the metadata of the second electronic file based on information associated with linking a type of the metadata and data defined in an external service.
G06F 16/908 - Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually using metadata automatically derived from the content
38.
PAPER DISCHARGE APPARATUS AND PAPER DISCHARGE UNIT
According to one embodiment, a paper discharge apparatus includes a conveyance unit configured to convey paper printed by a printer and discharge the printed paper to an outside, a conveyance stop unit configured to stop the conveyance of the paper by the conveyance unit during printing of the paper, a loop mechanism configured to selectively loop the paper printed while conveyance is stopped from a conveyance path provided upstream of the conveyance unit in a conveyance direction of the paper toward any one of a printing surface side of the paper and a non-printing surface side of the paper, and a paper discharge unit configured to drive the stopped conveyance unit and discharge the looped paper when printing of the paper is completed.
According to one embodiment, an information processing device includes a communication interface and a control unit that receives an inquiry sentence from a user, classifies the inquiry sentence by submitting the inquiry sentence to a classification model, generates a prompt from the inquiry sentence, then inputs the prompt to a generative AI to receive a response sentence. The control unit then classifies the response sentence by submitting the response sentence to the classification model, then determines whether the inquiry sentence classification matches the response sentence classification. The control unit outputs the response sentence to the user via the communication interface when the classifications are determined to be similar, but generates another prompt from the inquiry sentence to be input to the generative AI when the classifications are dissimilar.
According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes a storage unit, a communication unit, and a control unit. The control unit is configured to receive a query text via the communication unit, then generate a prompt based on the query text. The control unit also acquires present load status information corresponding to a current workload of the control unit. The number of generative AI models to which the generated prompt is to be input is determined based at least in part on the present load status information. The control unit receives a response text to the prompt from the determined number of generative AI models, and then outputs a query response text via the communication unit. The query response text reflects each received response text. In some examples, the number of times the prompt is input to a generative AI model may be set based on the current workload.
A print system includes a client terminal, a printer, and a server. The client terminal includes a first communication interface, a scanner, and a first processor configured to control the first communication interface to transmit a print job to the server. The server includes a second communication interface and a second processor configured to, in response the print job, obtain an unlock code associated with the printer and control the second communication interface to transmit the unlock code to the printer. The printer includes a display, a print engine, and a third processor configured to, in response to the unlock code, control the display to display an optically-readable code representing the unlock code and a server identifier. The first processor is configured to transmit a first request including the unlock code. The second processor verifies the unlock code and transmits a second request to the printer and the print job.
According to one embodiment, a settlement terminal includes a control unit which forecasts which one of the plurality of reading units will be used to perform settlement using a credit card, identifies which reading units are presently in a ready state, then cancels or turns off the ready state of the reading units other than the forecasted one. In general, the forecast may be provided by analysis of a picture of the customer at the settlement terminal holding the credit card prior to operation of the settlement terminal. The control unit may implement machine learning, such as a neural network for analysis of the picture and providing of the forecast.
G06Q 20/34 - Payment architectures, schemes or protocols characterised by the use of specific devices using cards, e.g. integrated circuit [IC] cards or magnetic cards
G06V 10/82 - Arrangements for image or video recognition or understanding using pattern recognition or machine learning using neural networks
According to one embodiment, a printer includes a first motor, a printing unit, a second motor, a charging circuit, and a connection unit. The first motor feeds a sheet. The printing unit forms an image on the sheet. When a rotational force is applied, the second motor converts the applied rotational force into electric power, and when electric power is applied, the second motor converts the applied electric power into a rotational force. The charging circuit holds the electric power converted from a rotational force of the first motor by the second motor, and supplies the held electric power when the printing unit forms an image. The connection unit receives electric power supplied via USB power delivery.
According to one embodiment, a customer guidance system includes a camera, a checkout apparatus, and a store server. The store server has a storage unit, a communication unit, and a control unit configured to identify and store a degree of congestion for different regions of the store, determine a current status of a customer in the store, select a region of the store as a suggested destination for the customer based on congestion degrees and the customer's current status. The control unit generates a prompt including the suggested destination and inputs the prompt to a generative AI trained to generate a customer guidance response for guiding the customer to the suggested destination. The customer guidance response is then supplied to the customer.
According to one embodiment, a printer includes a first motor, a printing unit, a second motor, and a charging circuit. The first motor feeds a sheet. The printing unit forms an image on the sheet. When a rotational force is applied, the second motor converts the applied rotational force into electric power, and when electric power is applied, the second motor converts the applied electric power into a rotational force. The charging circuit holds the electric power converted from a rotational force of the first motor by the second motor, and supplies the held electric power when the printing unit forms an image.
According to one embodiment, an information processing terminal includes a checkout device, a printer, and at least one of a scanner, a card reader, and a display unit. The checkout device includes a power source circuit that outputs a first voltage. The printer includes a first motor, a printing unit, a second motor, a charging circuit, and a connection unit. The first motor feeds a printing sheet. When a rotational force is applied, the second motor converts the applied rotational force into electric power. The charging circuit holds the electric power converted from a rotational force of the first motor by the second motor, and supplies the held electric power when the printing unit forms an image. The connection unit receives the first voltage. The scanner, the card reader, and the display unit are operated by upon receiving the first voltage.
B41J 2/32 - Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material using thermal heads
B41J 3/46 - Printing mechanisms combined with apparatus providing a visual indication
B41J 29/00 - Details of, or accessories for, typewriters or selective printing mechanisms not otherwise provided for
H02P 5/68 - Arrangements specially adapted for regulating or controlling the speed or torque of two or more electric motors controlling two or more DC dynamo-electric motors
A shopping cart system includes a shopping cart that includes an input connector that receives, from the power supply device or a previous stage cart, a charging current and a DC voltage of a DC power supply different from a supply power supply of the charging current, a first resistor connected in series to an input line of the DC voltage, and a first output connector that outputs the DC voltage via the first resistor and a part of the charging current received by the input connector. The power supply device includes a second output connector that outputs a charging current and a DC voltage via a second resistor connected in series to an output line of the DC power supply, and an energization control unit that stops the charging current when a current flowing through the second resistor falls below a predetermined value.
B62B 5/00 - Accessories or details specially adapted for hand carts
B62B 3/14 - Hand carts having more than one axis carrying transport wheelsSteering devices thereforEquipment therefor characterised by provisions for nesting or stacking, e.g. shopping trolleys
H02J 7/00 - Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
A shopping cart system includes a shopping cart that includes an input connector that receives a charging current and a DC voltage of a DC power supply different from a supply power supply of the charging current, a first resistor connected in parallel to an input line of the DC voltage, and a first output connector that outputs, to an input connector of another cart connected to a subsequent stage of the cart, the DC voltage across the first resistor and a part of the charging current received by the input connector. The power supply device includes a second output connector that outputs a charging current and a DC voltage via a second resistor connected in series to an output line of the DC power supply, and an energization control unit that stops the charging current when a voltage across the second resistor exceeds a predetermined value.
H02J 7/00 - Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
B62B 3/14 - Hand carts having more than one axis carrying transport wheelsSteering devices thereforEquipment therefor characterised by provisions for nesting or stacking, e.g. shopping trolleys
According to one embodiment, an information processing system includes an information processing device and a structured database accessible by a specialized query language. The information processing device receives a natural language query related to information in the structured database and provides a natural language response to the natural language query by supplying the natural language query to a large language model (LLM) accessing a retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) database incorporating information from the structured database. The information processing device is configured to automatically update information in the RAG database by retrieving information from the structured database by executing a predefined query in the specialized query language to access the structured database, converting results from the predefined query into natural language text according to a predefined conversion rule associated with the predefined query, and storing the natural language text in the RAG database.
According to an embodiment, an information processing apparatus is an apparatus that is not accessible to a storage device. The information processing apparatus includes a receiver and a transmitter. The receiver receives a first electronic file. The transmitter transmits a second electronic file, which is the same electronic file as the first electronic file or an electronic file generated based on the first electronic file, and storage destination information indicating a storage area of the storage device as a storage destination of the second electronic file to a communication device accessible to the storage device.
According to one embodiment, a printer device according to an embodiment includes: an accommodation portion configured to accommodate paper wound in a roll shape; a conveyance unit configured to pull out the paper from the accommodation portion and convey the paper; a printing unit configured to print on the paper conveyed by the conveyance unit; a damper unit provided between the accommodation portion and the printing unit and configured to abut against the paper from a winding outer surface side of the paper to apply an elastic force to the paper; and a guide unit facing the damper unit and configured to form, between the guide unit and the damper unit, a conveyance path of the paper having a curved surface opposite to the curling tendency of the paper.
B41J 11/00 - Devices or arrangements for supporting or handling copy material in sheet or web form
B41J 2/32 - Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material using thermal heads
A self-service POS terminal (a money depositing and dispensing apparatus) is capable of performing at least cash settlement and includes a denomination identification unit (an identification unit) configured to identify a denomination of money deposited to a coin depositing port (a depositing port) or a bill depositing port (a depositing port), a deposited money information storage unit (a storage unit) configured to store denominations, numbers, and depositing order of pieces of money deposited during one checkout, an operator determination unit configured to determine whether the self-service POS terminal is being operated by a customer or being operated by a store clerk, and a money return unit configured to, on condition that it is determined that the self-service POS terminal is being operated by the customer, if pieces of money exceeding a predetermined value in number were deposited, return the money deposited in excess of the predetermined number.
According to one embodiment, an edge device includes a communication interface connectable to an edge server, a storage unit for storing a dialogue LLM trained to interact with a user for setting a function of the edge device and a database storing reference information related to functions of the edge device. A controller unit receives request text input indicating a user's desired process to be provided using the edge device, then inputs the request text input to a generative AI that is based on the dialogue LLM and can access the database to identify a function of the edge device that can provide the user's desired process. The controller unit outputs confirmation question text to confirm the identified function corresponds to the user's desired process, and then sets the edge device to execute the identified function if confirmed.
According to an embodiment cart-type commodity registration apparatus includes a cart, a battery, and a commodity registration device, such as a barcode scanner, that is on the cart and receives power from the battery. A movement sensor and an information processing terminal are also on the cart. The information processing terminal is configured to determine whether the cart is moving based on movement signals from the movement sensor indicating whether the cart is moving or stopped and control the commodity registration device to be in a reduced power mode when a received movement signal indicates the cart is moving above a threshold speed. The terminal can also be configured to place the commodity registration device in a sleep mode after a stopped signal has been continuously received from the movement sensor for a predetermined length of time.
A sheet processing apparatus in an embodiment includes a processing unit, a tray, alignment members, and a supporting member. The processing unit processes regular size sheets. The regular size sheets can be placed on a first surface of the tray. The alignment members are capable of coming into contact with end portions in a first direction, in which a line of intersection of the first surface and a horizontal plane extends, further in an upward direction than a center of gravity of a largest regular size sheet present in an initial position where the regular size sheet entering the tray is placed first. The supporting member supports a lower end portion of the largest regular size sheet and extends from inner sides to outer sides of end portions of the largest regular size sheet in the first direction.
A store monitoring device includes a memory that stores first information indicating self-service and staffed checkout devices, and a processor configured to: acquire from cameras first images of customers and containers or carts used thereby, second images of a checkout waiting area, identify a first customer and first items to be purchased thereby, determine whether the first customer is in the checkout waiting area, upon determining that the first customer is in the waiting area, determine whether a line is formed in the checkout waiting area, upon determining that a line is formed, determine a first quantity of the first items, when the first quantity is greater than or equal to a threshold, output first information for guiding the first customer to a staffed checkout device, and when the first quantity is less than the threshold, output second information for guiding the customer to a self-service checkout device.
G06Q 90/00 - Systems or methods specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial or supervisory purposes, not involving significant data processing
According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus for a store system includes a communication interface connected to a network, a storage unit, and a processor. The processor receives, via the communication interface, a customer request from a customer in a store, then generate a reply text in response to the customer request. The reply text is generated using a generative AI based on a prompt corresponding to the customer request. The processor then supplies a customer response to the customer based on the generated reply text, and then receives customer behavior information and tracks a behavior of the customer in the store after the customer response has been supplied. The processor records, in the storage unit, the customer behavior information representing the tracked behavior of the customer in correlation with the customer response supplied to the customer.
According to an embodiment, an image forming system includes a host computer and an image forming apparatus. The host computer above transmits to the image forming apparatus print information including raster data of an image to be printed by the image forming apparatus and auxiliary data used for print control apparatus. The image forming apparatus holds the raster data included in the print information and controls the driving of the print device based on the raster data and the auxiliary data.
B41J 2/325 - Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material using thermal heads by selective transfer of ink from ink carrier, e.g. from ink ribbon or sheet
B41J 3/407 - Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed for marking on special material
According to an embodiment, an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment determines whether or not it is necessary to check for malfunctions on a basis of a priority setting for each image region in a print image. Further, the image forming apparatus executes a malfunction check using a check circuit on a heating element that has been determined to need to be subjected to a malfunction check.
B41J 2/355 - Control circuits for heating-element selection
B41J 3/407 - Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed for marking on special material
60.
INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, INFORMATION PROCESSING SYSTEM, AND METHOD
According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus can include an acquirer, a reader, a comparer, and a controller. The acquirer can obtain a target file. The reader can read information related to the target file from the target file. The comparer can compare information related to at least one executed file for which a workflow was executed on stored in a storage with the information related to the target file. The controller can control the workflow for the target file based on the comparison result.
A point-of-sale terminal includes a table, a weight sensor, a camera, a memory storing commodity information each indicating a commodity and a weight range and a preset image thereof, and a processor configured to: determine whether an operation for registering a first commodity is input, upon determining that the operation is input, search the memory for first commodity information corresponding to the first commodity, determine whether a weight measured by the sensor increases, upon determining that the weight increases, determine whether an increase in the weight is within a first range indicated by the first commodity information, and upon determining that the increase is not within the range, determine whether an image captured by the camera shows the first commodity based on a first preset image indicated by the first commodity information, and upon determining that the image shows the first commodity, register the first commodity.
G06V 10/764 - Arrangements for image or video recognition or understanding using pattern recognition or machine learning using classification, e.g. of video objects
According to one embodiment, an image processing apparatus includes a reading unit, a detection unit, a determination unit, and a processing unit. The reading unit reads an image printed based on predetermined test image data by a thermal printer that performs thermal control according to a thermal history table. The detection unit detects a difference between the image read by the reading unit and a test image represented by the test image data. The determination unit determines a thermal history table for compensating for the difference detected by the detection unit. The processing unit performs a predetermined process for setting the thermal history table determined by the determination unit in the thermal printer.
According to an embodiment, an image forming apparatus communicates with a predetermined number of wireless tags of one or more supplied media on a basis of a printing job, and forms images on a predetermined number of printing regions corresponding to the wireless tags. The image forming apparatus outputs information for checking whether or not retry processing, which is executed in accordance with a failure to write tag information to the one or more wireless tags of the one or more media, is necessary and receives a request for the retry processing.
An image forming apparatus can include a first memory configured to store at least one program. The image forming apparatus can include a second memory configured to store a whitelist comprising one or more listed programs and unique information for each listed program. The image forming apparatus can include a processor configured to, when the first program requesting to be executed is different than the unique information in the whitelist, rewrite the first program with an original program and restart the image forming apparatus.
An image forming apparatus includes a first conveyance driving unit, a second conveyance driving unit, an image forming unit, a tag communication unit, and a control unit. The image forming unit forms the image with respect to the sheet conveyed through the first conveyance path or the second conveyance path. The tag communication unit writes data or reads data to a wireless tag of the sheet located in the first conveyance path or the second conveyance path. The control unit reads the data from the wireless tag of the sheet after writing the data to the wireless tag, and determines whether or not the data was normally written to the wireless tag based on the read data.
A shopping terminal that is used in a store includes a memory that stores labels indicating environmental conditions each in association with sensor data, and a processor configured to execute a program that is stored in the memory to perform the steps of: acquiring a query indicating a question input by a user, acquiring sensor data from a sensor, searching the memory for a label corresponding to the acquired sensor data, generating a prompt based on the query and the label, inputting the prompt to a computer model, which generates in response thereto an answer to the question, the computer model having learned relationships and connections between human perceptions under different environmental conditions, and data of items sold in the store, and converting the answer into audio data, and outputting the audio data.
According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a conveying unit, a tag communication unit, and a control unit. The conveying unit conveys the sheet. The tag communication unit performs a first communication with a radio tag brought close to a reading position different from the conveying unit and a second communication with the radio tag provided on the sheet being conveyed by the conveying unit. The control unit acquires setting information used in the second communication pre-associated with information that is read in the first communication and causes the tag communication unit to perform the second communication in accordance with the acquired setting information.
An information processing apparatus according to an embodiment for point-of-sale systems includes a communication interface for connecting to a communication network and a processor. The processor is configured to acquire an image of an inside of a shopping basket via the communication interface, detect a commodity in the shopping basket in the acquired image, receive a commodity identification for a registered commodity in a sales transaction, and, if the commodity identification for the registered commodity is received within a preset time period around the detection of the commodity in the shopping basket, generate a screen image by superimposing commodity information associated with the commodity identification for the registered commodity on the image of the inside of the shopping basket for enabling a user to identify the commodity in the shopping basket in conjunction with the superimposed commodity information.
G06V 10/26 - Segmentation of patterns in the image fieldCutting or merging of image elements to establish the pattern region, e.g. clustering-based techniquesDetection of occlusion
Systems, methods, and apparatuses related to an image forming apparatus are provided. The image forming apparatus includes a controller and a display. The controller detects a malfunction of the image forming apparatus and calculates an amount of carbon dioxide emitted in a visit of a service engineer for maintenance work for the malfunction detected by the detection unit. The display displays the amount of carbon dioxide calculated by the controller.
According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes a communication processing unit and a setting unit. The communication processing unit receives information regarding issuing of a second account associated with a first account input by a terminal. The setting unit sets one or both of an issuing authority of a printing job in the second account and an execution authority for the printing job related to the second account based on the information received by the communication processing unit.
In accordance with an embodiment, a printing apparatus includes a shaft and an antenna. The shaft is arranged to be inserted into a tubular material including a wireless tag and rotatably supports the tubular material. The antenna performs data communication with the wireless tag. The antenna has an antenna element group and the antenna element group is arranged to cover an area in a circumferential direction of the shaft.
B41J 29/393 - Devices for controlling or analysing the entire machine
B41J 2/325 - Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material using thermal heads by selective transfer of ink from ink carrier, e.g. from ink ribbon or sheet
B41J 3/407 - Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed for marking on special material
B41J 33/00 - Apparatus or arrangements for feeding ink ribbons or like character-size impression-transfer material
B41J 33/16 - Ribbon-feed devices or mechanisms with drive applied to spool or spool spindle
A printer includes a first casing including a first engaged part and a second casing including a second engaged part. The printer also includes an engagement position adjustment mechanism and an engagement position indicator. The engagement position adjustment mechanism is configured to adjust a first position of at least one of the first engaged part and the second engaged part to a second position, where the first engaged part and the second engaged part engage with each other at the second position. The engagement position indicator is configured to indicate the second position of the at least one the first engaged part and the second engaged part.
B41J 25/308 - Bodily-movable mechanisms for print heads or carriages movable towards or from paper surface with print gap adjustment mechanisms
B41J 2/325 - Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material using thermal heads by selective transfer of ink from ink carrier, e.g. from ink ribbon or sheet
B41J 3/407 - Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed for marking on special material
According to one embodiment, a server includes a communication unit, a storage unit, and a control unit. The communication unit communicates with a printer. The storage unit stores a first value which is the number of executed jobs per day associated with a user, and a second value which is a battery voltage consumption per job associated with the user. The control unit receives a battery voltage of the printer via the communication unit when the user logs in to the printer, predicts a printable state of the printer based on the first value, the second value, and the battery voltage, and transmits a result of the prediction to the printer via the communication unit.
According to one embodiment, a fixing device capable of extending a lifespan of a component is provided. A fixing device of an embodiment includes a cylindrical body, a pressure roller, an adjustment mechanism, and a control section. The pressure roller can come into contact with the cylindrical body to form a nip. The adjustment mechanism can adjust a pressing force of the pressure roller against the cylindrical body. The control section controls the adjustment mechanism so that a first pressing force is realized as the pressing force when the pressure roller rotates at a first speed. The control section controls the adjustment mechanism so that a second pressing force smaller than the first pressing force is realized as the pressing force when the pressure roller rotates at a second speed greater than the first speed.
An information processing apparatus includes: an internal storage configured to store one or more programs; a controller configured to execute the one or more programs; and an interface configured to receive information from an external storage containing a whitelist. The whitelist includes determination information indicating whether to allow the controller to execute each of the one or more programs. The controller is configured to acquire the whitelist from the external storage through the interface, verify an integrity of the acquired whitelist, and in response to a determination that the acquired whitelist is complete, store the acquired whitelist in the internal storage as an active whitelist to be used for determining whether to allow the controller to execute each of the one or more programs stored in the internal storage.
G06F 21/57 - Certifying or maintaining trusted computer platforms, e.g. secure boots or power-downs, version controls, system software checks, secure updates or assessing vulnerabilities
According to one embodiment, an image forming system includes an image forming unit that forms an image according to a printing job based on installed functions, wherein the printing job includes printing options that require installation options to be installed in the image former to execute the printing job, and a processor. The processor is configured to specify the installation option required to execute the printing option included in the printing job after the image is formed by the image forming unit, collect expected value information indicating a user's expected value related to the specified installation option, generate report information on the installation option based on the collected user's expected value information, and output notification of the generated report information.
According to an embodiment, a payment terminal operation system includes an information processing apparatus and a payment terminal provided in a store. The information processing apparatus acquires, from the payment terminal, setting information that specifies a totaling item for totaling sales of transactions within a predetermined period. Further, the information processing apparatus generates sales data obtained by totaling the sales in the store in which the payment terminal is provided, on the basis of the acquired setting information, and transmits the generated sales data to the payment terminal. The payment terminal provides the setting information held by itself to the information processing apparatus and outputs the sales data received from the information processing apparatus.
A system and method for minimizing customer churn in device service businesses commences with execution of a customer service contract. Ongoing customer data capture is made for each contract. Customer data includes contract events, environmental events, service events, device usage analytics and personnel events. Machine learning is applied to captured customer data, which machine learning is based on a state of customer data at the time of contract determination. Customer data is assigned weights, and aggregate data for each customer is compared to a preselected threshold level. Customers above a threshold are deemed happy and customers below the threshold are deemed to be at risk. Remedial measures relative to at risk customer data generates levels of automated remediation followed by remedial measure suggestions to an administrator when not sufficiently successful.
An optical device according to an embodiment includes a lens mirror array and a holder. The lens mirror array is opposed to a light emitting section. The lens mirror array includes a plurality of optical elements. The optical elements include incident-side lens surfaces, emission-side lens surfaces that emit incident light, and reflection surfaces that reflect incident light. A cross section orthogonal to a first direction of the lens mirror array has a constricted shape. The holder includes a slit having width smaller than width of both the ends in the cross section of the lens mirror array and larger than width of the center in the cross section and extending in the first direction. The holder holds the lens mirror array in a state in which a constricted portion in the center in the cross section of the lens mirror array is disposed in the slit.
G03G 15/04 - Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for exposing, i.e. imagewise exposure by optically projecting the original image on a photoconductive recording material
G02B 17/00 - Systems with reflecting surfaces, with or without refracting elements
G03B 27/52 - Projection printing apparatus, e.g. enlarger, copying camera Details
An indirect thermal transfer printer applies images to label stock with the use of heat activated transfer ribbon. Once an image is printed, a negative of the printed image remains on the exposed transfer ribbon. Heat is applied to the exposed transfer ribbon as it is spooled to obliterate the negative, fuse the ribbon to previously exposed and spooled ribbon, or both.
B41J 17/42 - Mechanisms for manipulating page-width impression-transfer material, e.g. carbon paper for dealing with the impression-transfer material after use for webs
B41J 2/325 - Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material using thermal heads by selective transfer of ink from ink carrier, e.g. from ink ribbon or sheet
B41J 3/60 - Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed for printing on both faces of the printing material
B41J 3/407 - Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed for marking on special material
81.
SYSTEM AND METHOD TO PREDICT AND PREVENT CUSTOMER CHURN IN SERVICING BUSINESS
A system and method for minimizing customer churn in device service businesses commences with execution of a customer service contract. Ongoing customer data capture is made for each contract. Customer data includes contract events, environmental events, service events, device usage analytics and personnel events. Machine learning is applied to captured customer data, which machine learning is based on a state of customer data at the time of contract determination. Customer data is assigned weights, and aggregate data for each customer is compared to a preselected threshold level. Customers above a threshold are deemed happy and customers below the threshold are deemed to be at risk. Remedial measures relative to at risk customer data generates levels of automated remediation followed by remedial measure suggestions to an administrator when not sufficiently successful.
According to an embodiment, an information processing apparatus receives a beacon signal from a beacon device detachably attached to the information processing apparatus. The information processing apparatus acquires information relating to a distance between the information processing apparatus and the beacon device on the basis of the beacon signal. The information processing apparatus displays notification information on a display device in accordance with the acquired information.
Provided is a printer having easily extendable functions. According to an embodiment, a printer includes an API, a first wrapper API, a second wrapper API, an installation unit, and an execution unit. The API interfaces various functions of the printer. The first wrapper API and the second wrapper API convert a programming language of the API and make one or more of the functions available in first and second programming language execution environments. The installation unit installs an application. The application is created using first and second programming languages, makes one or more of the functions available in the first and second programming language execution environments, and provides a function allowing data to be used when one or more of the functions are used in the first programming language execution environment to be edited in the second programming language execution environment. The execution unit executes the application.
A printer includes a printing head to perform printing on a conveyed medium, a moving unit configured to move the printing head, an ink ribbon conveying unit to convey an ink ribbon and stop the conveyance, a storage unit to store a conveying speeds of the medium in association with nonprinting region dimensions for ribbon save operations, a nonprinting region determining unit to determine, based on printing data to be printed, whether at least one of the blank regions corresponds to one of the stored nonprinting region dimensions for ribbon save operations, and a first medium conveying unit to perform a ribbon save operation, if it is determined that a blank region in the printing data corresponds to one of the nonprinting region dimensions.
B41J 2/325 - Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material using thermal heads by selective transfer of ink from ink carrier, e.g. from ink ribbon or sheet
B41J 3/407 - Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed for marking on special material
B41J 25/304 - Bodily-movable mechanisms for print heads or carriages movable towards or from paper surface
G06K 15/02 - Arrangements for producing a permanent visual presentation of the output data using printers
A printer includes a first holder for an ink ribbon, a first pair of rollers configured to convey the ink ribbon along a conveyance path, a print head configured to press the ink ribbon against a print medium to print an image on the print medium, and a second pair of rollers disposed on a downstream side of the first pair of rollers in the conveyance path and capable of crosscutting the ink ribbon.
B41J 35/38 - Feeding the ink ribbon to waste after use
B41J 2/325 - Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material using thermal heads by selective transfer of ink from ink carrier, e.g. from ink ribbon or sheet
B41J 3/407 - Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed for marking on special material
B41J 11/70 - Applications of cutting devices cutting perpendicular to the direction of paper feed
B41J 15/04 - Supporting, feeding, or guiding devicesMountings for web rolls or spindles
B41J 33/26 - Ribbon-feed devices or mechanisms with drive applied directly to ribbon by rollers engaging the ribbon
According to at least one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a heater and a controller. The heater is configured to generate heat. The controller is configured to control AC power to the heater so that a part of the AC power which exceeds a threshold voltage is not applied to the heater.
According to an embodiment, an image forming apparatus executes, if an execution frequency setting of positional deviation correction in setting information is equal to or larger than a reference value, the positional deviation correction by using an image pattern for positional deviation measurement that is formed to be equal to or larger than one cycle of a transfer belt. Further, the image forming apparatus executes, if the execution frequency setting of the positional deviation correction in the setting information is less than the reference value, the positional deviation correction by using an image pattern for positional deviation measurement that is formed to be smaller than one cycle of the transfer belt.
G03G 15/00 - Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
G03G 15/04 - Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for exposing, i.e. imagewise exposure by optically projecting the original image on a photoconductive recording material
According to an embodiment, a transaction processing system includes a point-of-sale apparatus to process the registration of items in a sales transaction at a store, a monitoring system to detect fraud acts in the sales transaction, and a gate device on an exit lane on which a customer passes after finishing the sales transaction. The transaction data generated for the sales transaction indicates whether fraud has been detected in the sales transaction. The gate device identifies the sales transaction of the customer about to pass through the exit lane, determines whether the transaction data indicates that at least one fraud act has been detected in the sales transaction, and causes an alarm notification to be output when the transaction data indicates at least one fraud act in the sales transaction has been detected.
G06Q 20/40 - Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentialsReview and approval of payers, e.g. check of credit lines or negative lists
According to an embodiment, an information processing apparatus acquires image information capable of identifying a state of each of a plurality of transaction processing apparatuses that a customer performs an operation relating to a transaction. The information processing apparatus receives, for each of the plurality of transaction processing apparatuses, detection information indicating presence of a person at a specified operation position on the corresponding transaction processing apparatus. Further, the information processing apparatus determines, on the basis of the acquired image information and the received detection information, whether or not each of the plurality of transaction processing apparatuses is in a state where the operation by the customer can be started.
A wireless tag communication apparatus includes a communication device that faces a first direction and configured to communicate with a wireless tag and receive radio waves, a sensor configured to detect positions of the apparatus, a display that is connected to the communication device and faces a second direction, a grip connected to the device, and a processor configured to: determine, as a first position, a midpoint between two positions that are on an arc along which the apparatus is moved, phases of the radio waves received at the two positions being same, determine a second position that is on the arc, calculate a central angle of a sector formed by the first position, the second position, and the arc, determine the position of the wireless tag using the central angle, the first position, and the second position, and control the display to display the determined position.
G06K 7/10 - Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensingMethods or arrangements for sensing record carriers by corpuscular radiation
According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit and a fixing control unit. The fixing unit is configured to pressurize a sheet to fix an image onto the sheet. The fixing control unit performs, on the fixing unit, a first control for pressurizing a first sheet not including a wireless tag with a first load and a second control for pressurizing a second sheet including the wireless tag with a second load lower than the first load.
According to one embodiment, a server for a printer system includes a communication interface and a processor. The communication interface receives, from an external image forming apparatus, a first number of standard printable sheets of an installed toner cartridge, a first average print ratio for the toner cartridge, a first average number of printed sheets per day for the first toner cartridge, and a first remaining amount of toner in the installed toner cartridge, and transmits at least one of a number of remaining printable sheets or a number of remaining printable days to an external information terminal. The processor calculates the number of remaining printable sheets and the first number of remaining printable days based on the first number of standard printable sheets, the first average print ratio, the first average number of printed sheets, and the first remaining amount of toner.
A printer device in which a backing paper from which a label is peeled off after printing can be easily set in a conveyance path provided at a bottom of the printer device when replacing a label paper. A label printer includes: a peeling roller and a peeling pinch roller that interpose and wind the backing paper after the label is peeled off; a peeling cover portion provided at the bottom of the printer device, holding the peeling pinch roller to be pressed against the peeling roller by supporting the peeling pinch roller and rotating the peeling cover portion around a rotation shaft perpendicular to a conveyance direction of the backing paper;
A printer device in which a backing paper from which a label is peeled off after printing can be easily set in a conveyance path provided at a bottom of the printer device when replacing a label paper. A label printer includes: a peeling roller and a peeling pinch roller that interpose and wind the backing paper after the label is peeled off; a peeling cover portion provided at the bottom of the printer device, holding the peeling pinch roller to be pressed against the peeling roller by supporting the peeling pinch roller and rotating the peeling cover portion around a rotation shaft perpendicular to a conveyance direction of the backing paper;
and a protruding portion and a magnet that holds the peeling cover portion at a label paper replacement position.
B65C 9/00 - Details of labelling machines or apparatus
B41J 3/407 - Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed for marking on special material
B65C 1/02 - Affixing labels to one flat surface of articles, e.g. of packages, of flat bands
A shopping terminal used in a store includes an input device, an interface circuit connectable to sensors located outside or inside the store, a display, a memory, and a processor configured to execute a program stored in the memory to perform: acquiring sensor data representative of environmental conditions from the sensors through the interface circuit, acquiring first text that is input through the input device, converting each of the sensor data into second text, generating a prompt using the first and second text, inputting the prompt to a computer model, which generates in response thereto third text that promotes an item sold in the store, the computer model being a large language model that has learned relationships and connections between human perceptions under different environmental conditions, and data of items sold in the store, and controlling the display to display the third text.
An information processing device of an embodiment includes, a display device; and a processor configured to receive an input of an identifier capable of identifying a user; displays on the display device a list of pieces of electronic receipt information associated with the identifier, and displays, when additional information on benefit granting is added to the electronic receipt information, first display information according to a type of the additional information in association with the electronic receipt information displayed in the list.
A printer driven by power of a battery, the printer including a thermal head including a plurality of heating elements arranged along a direction perpendicular to a conveying direction, a drive unit to supply power to the thermal head to drive the thermal head, and a processor to control driving and perform printing on the recording medium according to printing data, in which the processor calculates, based on a state of its own printer, a printing cycle related to printing of each line for the line configuring the printing data and an energization time for supplying power to the thermal head within the printing cycle, adjusts the energization time according to a characteristic difference between an internal resistance of the reference battery and an internal resistance of the battery, and prints for one line by supplying power to the drive unit during the energization time after adjustment.
B41J 2/35 - Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material using thermal heads providing current or voltage to the thermal head
B41J 29/393 - Devices for controlling or analysing the entire machine
G06K 15/02 - Arrangements for producing a permanent visual presentation of the output data using printers
97.
ACCOUNTING PROCESSING APPARATUS AND PROGRAM RECORDING MEDIUM
An accounting processing apparatus according to an embodiment includes a registration screen display unit, a receiving unit, an accounting screen display unit, and an accounting processing unit. In a case of receiving input operation while a standby screen is being displayed, the registration screen display unit displays a product registration screen for receiving registration of first information related to a product to be purchased. The receiving unit receives second information related to the transaction of the product from the registration machine. In a case of receiving the second information, the accounting screen display unit displays an accounting screen for accounting processing for a product based on the second information. The accounting processing unit performs accounting processing on the product based on the first information received through the product registration screen or the second information received by the receiving unit.
G06F 3/0488 - Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI] using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
98.
INFORMATION PROCESSING TERMINAL AND RECORDING MEDIUM
An information processing terminal includes an acquisition unit, a determination unit, and an output unit. The acquisition unit acquires a detection result of a change in weight of products placed in a cart. The determination unit determines whether or not a user operation according to the detection result has been performed. The output unit outputs notification based on the determination result by the determination unit.
G06Q 20/40 - Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentialsReview and approval of payers, e.g. check of credit lines or negative lists
According to one embodiment, a detection device for a registration system has a communication interface connectable to a point-of-sale terminal, a camera, and a monitoring terminal. A processor of the detection device receives a camera image from the camera depicting a customer at the point-of-sale terminal and point-of-sale event signals from the point-of-sale terminal. The point-of-sale event signals correspond to operations of the customer performed at the point-of-sale terminal. The processor determines, based on the received camera image and the received point-of-sale event signals, whether a reportable act has occurred at the point-of-sale terminal and outputs a report of the reportable act to the point-of-sale terminal if a threshold number of occurrences set for the reportable act has been met during the operations of the customer at the point-of-sale terminal. The report causes the point-of-sale terminal to provide notice to the customer.
According to one embodiment, a fraudulent act detection device for cash register systems has a processor that receives images from a camera to acquire images of a customer at a point-of-sale terminal and event signals corresponding to operations of the customer at the terminal. The processor processes a camera image to detect a camera event corresponding to operations at the point-of-sale terminal, stores a terminal event indicated in the received event signals in an event log of the storage unit, then detects reportable events of different types related to possible fraudulent acts of the customer. The processor sets a flag indicator for each of the different types of acts to indicate the detection of reportable events and output a report to the point-of-sale terminal if the number of reportable events exceeds a reporting threshold value. The report causes the terminal to display a warning to the customer.
G06Q 20/40 - Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentialsReview and approval of payers, e.g. check of credit lines or negative lists
